Something to Believe In
by tarynnnn
Summary: Sequel to Stupid With Love Solangelo Hope is still missing. River’s not doing to best. The Solace world is falling apart. Can they pull it back together before it’s too far gone? Name from “Something to Believe In” from Newsies (I suck at summaries it’s good I swear)
1. Look At Where We Are

That Would Be Enough

It'd had been three years, three whole miserable, sad and empty years since my little Hope Maria disappeared in the dead of night. Three years of Nico and I falling back as parents to our other beautiful kids simply because the eldest wasn't around. Three years of fake smiles and hidden grief.

No leads. No evidence. No sightings. Signs of forced entry. She fell off the face of the earth.

And then Silena and Carter went out to find her. It's been 2 and a half years. Chiron has come to the conclusion that they(Hope included) were most likely dead. The camp burned shrouds the lost legacies, a complex thing to do with two godly ancestors. A combination of both traditional shrouds for each side of their families was set to fire.

Clarisse was a mess. Her husband, having been lost in Iraq only two months after her daughter went on a quest that it wasn't likely she'd come back from. be gone for what seemed to be forever. Annabeth and Percy were even worse. They held it together for Chase, Luca and Charlie.

I couldn't say the same for myself. I was without any doubt a mess. I didn't work anymore. Nico was our sole provider. I was depressed and broken. I stayed home and kept the rest of our kids lives together.

I had this constant guilt. I couldn't be a good parent because my eldest is gone. My other kids didn't deserve a dad like me. If only I'd known. I could've saved her. If I had known, had realized she had reached the age from Nico's dream, I could've kept her safe. Protected her. If I hadn't been so arrogant, Hope wouldn't be gone! She'd be here with me, and Nico, and River and the twins and everyone else in our lives.

It's all my fault!

All my fault.

All. Mine.

And then there was River. He's such a beautiful kid. Amazing. Wonderful. But he had a few...issues. River has some unknown condition. It's pretty severe. He won't talk to practically anyone outside of our house, and with Hope gone it's gotten worse. The boy's extremely intelligent, but has issues with talking to people. He's okay with me and Nico. Hope. Brianna. Little Addie and Sammy. Nicky. But otherwise, the kid won't say a word. Doctors can't figure it out. It's something demigodly. He has horrible migraines. Passes out randomly. Rarely minor seizures. Sometimes he completely spaces out. He'll every once in a while lose feeling in different parts of his body. It's gotten worse since Hope left.

Nico's a mess. Hope disappearing is tearing him apart. Eating away at him. It feels like I've lost him, too. And River, oh Nico and River.

He's stopped eating right. If I wasn't here to force food down his throat I don't think he'd be here at all. He's grown paler. The lines in his face are much deeper from stress and worry. He doesn't sleep pretty much at all.

Nico told me. Our son...our son has a strong death aura. He says he won't last long.

And on top of that there's Hazel. Passed away only two weeks after having her second child Maya. Car accident.

Hope's gone. River's...I can't bear to say it. River's...fading. My Nico, my wonderful Nico, shattered.

Our lives have tumbled completely. Sure, our kids think we're okay. And we definitely act like we are around them. Act happy. Like we aren't the messes we are. But I do break down. River or Brianna or Addie or Sammy will bring up Hope and I'll cry. They'll walk into me and Nico's room and he's burrowed into my shoulder, sobbing. But by far the saddest part is having to explain to a three year old boy who his big sister is. Trying to teach Nicholas why this sister he hasn't met isn't ar"She's just away for a little while, Nicky." I'd tell him.

"For how long?" He's reply.

"I don't know, sweetheart. It'll be soon, okay? We'll get her back soon."ound.

The kids don't have even an inkling of an idea that Hope...that they not see her again. They don't know at all how severe this is.

From the outside we seem pretty successful. Large, nice, expensive house and a very white-collar neighborhood just outside New York. Neeks has a law firm, I'm—I was the head surgeon at a large children's hospital. My job is promised back to me when I'm ready. Nice cars, nice home. Money. But on the inside we're empty. Broken.

At least we were up until the sighting.


	2. A Sliver of Hope

**hey guys! it's me! i'm sooo sorry it took so long for me to update this story i've been insanely busy. i hope y'all enjoy this!**

 **love y'all!**

 **p.s.: the title is a pun and i love it.**

oOoOo

Hope

I sat in the cold jail cell. It was damp and the smell of mold filled my lungs day after day. The only light came from a dim bulb in the hallway, not even enough for me to see halfway across my confined space.

I'd been locked in here since my escape attempt. I would've lost track of time forever ago had I not scratched little marks into the wall. There was over a thousand now and more than half of the concrete was covered in small tally marks, organized into months and years. I've kept track since they put me in here over 3 years ago.

When those horrible men took me I was only nine. I've spent three miserable birthdays and this stupid room and I'm awfully sick of it.

The room is about the size of a Prius. There's a blanket and a sad little pillow in the back right corner. To the left there's a small toilet and an itsy sink that hasn't worked for two years. I can't do anything whatsoever to entertain myself in the utter darkness. For the first half of my time here I was the only person in the hall, now I have someone right across from me.

Her name is Taya and she's 11. Her parents were Apollo and her mortal mother and she grew up at Camp Jupiter. Technically, she's my aunt. She was said to be the Roman oracle. They took her when she was almost 10, right out of her home—just like me.

She doesn't have a family. Before they took her she lived in a small orphanage on the outskirts of New Rome. Her mother died when she was a baby...something bout a house fire. Taya grew up alone in the world. I promised her I'd never leave here without her and that we'd find her a family. I swore we'd leave someday.

Someday.

oOoOo

One of the huge guards came to my cell door. He rattled his keys around and grabbed my arm, pulling me out. I saw Taya give me an apologetic worried face as he cuffed me and walked me down the hallway.

From what I can tell, we're trapped in an abandoned hotel. Very fancy. The room where the cells are is probably where guests used to stay before they converted it to a child prison.

Every day, they take me out of the cell for a few hours to try to get me to predict the future. Of course it never works so they beat me instead. They take Taya too,

but usually a little after me.

I'm not sure why I'm locked in here, or why Taya is. I know there must be other kids here, we just don't see them. The men who have us all in here are huge, probably nine feet tall and pure muscle. I assume they're part of some big family of mutant super humans because they're unlike any monster my dad's taught me about.

My dad's. Daddy and Papa. My family, River and Brianna and Addie and amanda and little Nicky. Papa and Daddy must be ripped apart with me gone. They probably pretend to hold it together for River and Bri and my other siblings. I know they've fallen apart.

That's why I have to get out. Soon. Before it's too late.

The man locks me into the test chair. Another sits across from me with a clipboard. He's not getting any more information than he ever has.

He looks into the camera in the corner. I know there's a group of men watching the film from some unknown location.

"Hope Maria Solace. Age 13. Legacy of Apollo and Hades. Current oracle of Delphi."

He turned towards me and gestured for me to try to predict something.

"I've told you a million times," I pleaded. "I haven't gotten any visions and I can't predict things on command. I'm sorry."

Despite my statement they weren't convinced. I sat in the chair for two hours before returning to my personal slice of hell. Scratch that. I'm Hell's princess.That outta be a million times better than this.

A while after throwing me into my cell they slide a tray of slop through the slot in my door. A cup of water and a disgusting looking ham sandwich on some stale bread. Delicious.

I drink my water and pick at the bread.

I couldn't live like this anymore. I wasn't in a good condition. I was sickly and weak, I couldn't do anything without becoming instantly exhausted.

I was busting out.

Tomorrow.

oOoOo

 **hahahahaha cliffhanger! please review, follow and favorite!**

 **-taryn**


	3. The Funeral

**hey readers.**

 **i feel bad.**

 **it's been way longer than i've told you it would be before i posted, and i have to admit i'm really not feeling inspired right now. i'm insanely busy and it's just not fair to all of you. i'll really try to post please pm me or comment and ideas you have, i'm really searching for something to say.**

 **i love you guys. thanks.**

oOoOo

I cleared my throat. Will clutched my hand a little tighter, sensing how nervous I was.

"Deep breaths, Neeks." Will whispered. "In and out."

Tap, tap, tap. I heard sound echo back through the speakers. It's now or never, right? "Um. Hi everyone." I said, my voice breaking. "I'm Nico Solace and Hope is my eldest daughter. She-she was my eldest daughter." I could feel tears building up. Just a few moments, then I'd be off stage. It would be okay. "And she was the most amazing little girl I'd ever met. She was absolutely beautiful and so smart. She was so smart and funny and creative. And the best big sister. She was sweet and kind and loving, and incredibly musically gifted. She was going places and doing things and she was going to be absolutely amazing someday. I know it." I realized that I'd been rambling. I could feel the eyes of the audience drilling into me. "But, as you all know, she isn't standing by us today. 3 years ago, my little ray of sunshine was kidnapped. We haven't found anything. Not even a footprint. Her case is cold, and she could still be out there, it's possible. As a demigod, we have to face the facts. She was a legacy and a great one at that, but we have to face the possibility. It's likely she's out there. But she deserves to rest if she isn't. And as much as it breaks my heart-" I stopped to look at Will. He tried to smile. It was enough to get me going. "As much as it breaks my heart she probably isn't coming back. But we still love her. And because we love her, we have to say goodbye. We have to let go. We have to let go." I couldn't. I'm done. "Thank you for your time."

I ripped myself out of Will's grip and ran down the stairs. I can't do this anymore. It's not fair. It's not right. She didn't deserve this. Our family didn't deserve this. No one deserves this. I can't do this. Why should I have to do this? Why has everyone I love always been ripped away from me? Why?

Why me?

Why?

I realized that I'd been running. I found myself at the base of a tree. Will and I's tree. The one where we snuck off to, where we got engaged.

It was safe here. It was always safe here. Nothing bad like kidnappings or monsters. Just happy thoughts.

I reached for a branch. Then another and another until I found myself sitting in the tree. I was on the long big branch that we always sat on. I was in the place where Will told me he loves me the first time.

And where I first said it back. I swung my legs over the branch and balanced myself. Then I let it out. I cried. I cried and cried like never before. I cried for the first time in weeks. All the tears and sadness and anger all flooded out at once and soon I was just inconsolable sadness and just tears. Just me and hysterical tears.

So hysterical I didn't even hear Will climb into the tree. He wrapped his arms around me and tucked me into his chest. I cried. I cried and I kept crying. It was just me and Will. None of our kids around, none of our family. No one to see me. I could let it all out, finally. I could let everything out.

I cried until I was out of tears. Will held me long after the tears stopped flowing. We just sat there, in our tree and he held me tight.

"Nico? Will? Where are you guys?" Someone yelled. I recognized the voice as Percy Jackson.

"Percy, this really isn't a good time!" Will shouted back.

"I'm sorry, but this is really important. To everyone. Especially you guys." Percy came into view of the tree. His eyes were wide, something that happened when he heard something that made him happy.

That was a good sign.

Moments later Will and I were back on the ground.

"Percy, what is it?" Will said, his arm wrapped around my back.

"You have to come back to camp. I can't explain right now, and I'm sorry. But you have to see this. I swear, it's important." He looked so desperate for us to believe him.

I smirked. "Let's go."

oOoOo

Chiron was standing on the porch of the Big House. Annabeth was right behind him, both awaiting our arrival.

"Thank goodness you're back!" Annabeth said to her husband. "I was worried you wouldn't be able to find them."

Chiron interrupted their reunion. "Well, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, I'm sorry to interrupt your reunion but I think the Solaces need to see what's going on, now don't they?"

Annabeth and Percy led us inside to the Percy's laptop. It was a miracle it still worked, he'd had it forever. Will and I stood in front of it and I pressed play on the video on the screen.

"Is this surveillance footage? Percy, what the hell is this?" Will said, looking at Percy.

"Just look at the screen!" He said quickly, as if the video was the most important thing ever.

And then I saw it. A little girl with a head of brown curls walked right past the camera. She had someone else with her. Her blue eyes glimmered across the screen.

It was my little girl. My little Hope.

She was alive.

Holy shit!

"Holy shit!" I yelled. "Omigods, omigods, omigods! She's alive!" I turned to Will. "Our little girl is alive!"

Will was tearing up. He pulled me into a firm embrace. I was the happiest I'd been in 3 years.

My little girl was alive.

But where the hell was she?

oOoOo


	4. ahhhhhhhhhhh

Hey guys. It's been a while. Actually, it's been a long while.

I'm so so sorry about how I've completely neglected this whole world, I know a lot of you cared about what I was writing.I've tried multiple times to continue as I had started but I couldn't do it. I just wasn't feeling the whole writing thing, and this story wasn't hitting me the way it used to. I started this whole universe over a year ago now. I'm older and more mature, and I've learned a lot about myself since I started this. My writing style isn't at all the same therefore I can not continue Something to Believe In. I look at what I wrote in SWL and actually cringe at myself. Except now I'm back and eager to write.

I have a proposition. My idea is I'll completely rewrite both Stupid With Love and Something to Believe In. It won't be the same story, and I have a few big things I want to change. I want to improve my plot and storyline, make the whole thing less elementary. Maybe start a little bit earlier and not at the engagement.

Would you guys even want to read that? Please leave a review and tell me what you think, and feel free to email me or pm me, I'd love to hear about you guys and what you think about my story and my plan. My email is thanoskillmenow .

I still love you guys and all your endless support. I can't wait to bring this back from the dead.

taryn :)


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